David wilkey



RUB-BEE s HOB.

Patented Mar. V18, 18874.V

NA PETERS. Mmmm, vla-Mum D. c.

NirnD STATES f DAVIDWILKEY, or Roon ISLAND, QUEBEC, CANADA.

RUBBER SHOE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 295,511, dated March 18, 1884.

r Application filed February 26, 1883. (No model.)

4 o @ZZ whom it may concern,

Be it known that l, DAVID WILKEY, a citizen of Canada, residing at Rock Island, in the county of Stansteadand Province of Quebec, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rubber Shoes; andl dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to rubber shoes, or more particularly to what is knwn as lumbermens rubber shoes.7

It isvery common in the northern and northwestern parts of the United States and in Canada for lumbermen and others following the vocation of lumbering and working in the woods during the winter season, when the ground is covered with snow, to wear, in lieu of the ordinary leather or rubber boot or shoe, a low heavy rubber shoe specially made for the purpose, which is drawn on the foot over a felt or sheepskin stocking, which latter covers the foot and leg ofthe wearer. For the severe climate of the high latitudes mentioned this foot-wear is found to be the lightest, warmest, and most serviceable for the wearer when working in deep snow or during intense cold; and were it not for two objections this form of foot-wear would supersede all others under the conditions named. The first and most important objection is that in walking or working in the-snow and because of the bending of the `foot the rubber shoe is more or less bulged out at the side or instep and permits snow to become wedged or packed in the shoe between it and the felt "or sheep` skin stocking on both sides of the foot. This snow so packed partially melts by reason of the warmth of the foot and dampens or saturates the heavy felt or sheepskin stocking, and thereby causes discomfort to the wearer, besides inducing sickness; or, il the snow'does not sufficiently :melt to saturate the stocking, it is condensed enough to be formed into a lump or cake of ice to remove which generally requires the shoe to be first withdrawn from the foot. The other objection to be noted 1s that when the wearer is working in the f crust.-t11at is to say,working in snow having a layer or coating of ice-the shoe is apt to be pulled or drawn from the foot by the back or counter catching on said crust or coating of ice. This is of no infrequent occurrence, especially if the shoe is somewhat loose on the foot. At times, also, this gives considerable inconvenience to the wearer, for the reason that because of the thickness of the inner or woolen stocking and that of the felt or sheepskin stocking the loss of the shoe may not and often is not noticed at the time, in consequenc of which the shoe is apt to be lost.

The object of my invention is to produce a rubber shoe which, retaining all the desired features, will overcome these objections, besides affbrding a support to the ankle ofthe wearer.

To these ends my invention consists of a lumbermans low-quartered rubber shoe provided with two straps, each having a broad end or base attached to oneside ofv the shoe at or near the top edge thereof and substantially forward of the location of the wcarers anklebone,and tapered and extended forward diagonally from the said broad end or base to its outer end,where it is provided with means for securing it to the forward end of the other strap, the arrangement of said straps `being such as to cause them when connected over the wearers ankle to draw inward the sides of the rubber and cause them to bear up snugly against the wearers stocking and form a close joint therewith, and also to prevent the pulling off of the rubber. 1

For a fuller understanding of my said in vention reference is made to the annexed drawings and to the following description and claim.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved shoe, and Fig. 2 is a plan of the same.

Corresponding parts in the two iigures are indicated by similar letters of reference.

In the annexed drawings, A marks an ordinary lumberinans rubber shoe fitted over the felt stocking B. C marks two straps, secured one to each side of the shoe, as clearly shown, one of which is provided with a buckle and the other with a number of eyelets, to enable them to be fastened together over the instep ofthe wearer. These straps, which may be of any known material suitable for the purpose, and which may be fastened together by means of the buckle, as stated, hooks and ,A to afford a means of fastening or eyes, or otherwise, are preferably secured to the shoe between the outer or rubber portion and the lining by means ofthe same substance that causes'said lining to adhere to the outer portion of the shoe; or the straps may be sewed4 to the shoe or otherwise suitably fastened thereto. These straps C arc quite wide at' the bottoni, andare attached to the sides of the rubber substantially forward of the location of the wearers ankle-bone, and they taper and extend forward diagonally from said wide base, as shown, so as to cause the sides of the shoe to be drawn in laterally to the sides of the foot and to draw or cause the heel or back of the shoe to be pressed against the heel of the stocking and in toward the sides thereof, whereby the shoe is made to press closely to the stocking at said sides and back, thereby insuring a tight lit and preventing snow from enteringthe shoe or the latter being drawn from the foot by reason of the heel of the shoe catching on the crust. The straps being l'astenedkover the instep give a support to the ankle and a feeling of comfort to the wearer. This, I think,will be fully understood and appreciated when the thickness of the woolen stocking and that of the 'felt or sheepskin stocking are considered,which otherwise give too great a feeling of flexibility and looseness in this form of foot-Wear.

It will be noticed from the foregoing that the purpose of the straps C is not, primarily, holding the rubber shoe on the foot, but, on the contrary,

is intended to fully prevent snow from cutering said shoe at the sides.

I ain aware that it is not new, broadly, to hold rubber shoes to the feet of the wearer by means of strings or straps, and I do not claim such as my invention; but

What'l do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

As a new article of manufacture, a lumberinans low-quartered rubber shoe, such as herein shown and described, provided with two straps, each having a broad end or base attached to one side of the shoe at or near the top edge thereof, and substantially forward of the location of the wearers ankle-bone, and tapered and extended forward diagonally from the said broad end or base to its outer end, where itis provided with means for securing it to the forward end of the other strap, the arrangemeut of said straps being suchas to cause.

thcnnwhen connected over the wearers ank le, to draw inward the sides of the shoe and cause them to bear snugly against the wearers inner foot-eovering and form a close joint therewith, and at the same time prevent the shoe from being pulled olf, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID WILKEY. Witnesses:

E. J. TINKER, J. H. LANGE. 

